]]> http://www.thetravelears.com/2010/06/15/halloween-horror-nights-tickets-on-sale/feed/ 1 http://www.thetravelears.com/2010/03/25/universals-harry-potter-park-to-open-june-18/ http://www.thetravelears.com/2010/03/25/universals-harry-potter-park-to-open-june-18/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:06:40 +0000 Ray http://www.thetravelears.com/?p=7263

Universal Studios Orlando announced today that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open June 18 in the theme park’s Islands of Adventure. The Harry Potter area is a $200 million addition for Universal.

There will be familiar spots for Harry Potter fans (Honeydukes sweets shop, Zonko’s Joke Shop, the Three Broomsticks pub) and new thrills (a twin high-speed rollercoaster called the Dragon Challenge which contains elements of a Triwizard Tournament and a more family-friendly ride called the Flight of the Hippogriff) to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

At Dervish and Banges, a shop that sells magical equipment, you’ll also find your very own magic wand. And the coolest part of all might be within Hogwarts Castle where visitors can be immersed in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, in which Universal officials said that new technology would bring the characters to life.

St. Petersburg Times

The shows will take place on Saturday nights from February 6 to April 17. The price of admission for the events is included in the price of a ticket to Universal Studios.

Other acts appearing at the Mardi Gras shows include KC and the Sunshine Band, Heart, Kool & the Gang, Dierks Bentley, Akon,Aretha Franklin, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Flo Rida, the Beach Boys and Chicago.

“Guests will experience the spirit of Bourbon St. in the heart of Universal Studios,” a press release said, promising “authentic Cajun cuisine, a spectacular parade and tons of beads.”

RTT News

Universal Orlando has been slapped with a fine and forced to make changes following an accident this summer involving the resort’s Dueling Dragons roller coaster.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Universal $3,750 for what it called a “serious” safety violation that contributed to the July 1 accident, in which an unidentified employee working below Dueling Dragons was injured after being struck by one of the coaster trains.

Investigators cited Universal for exposing employees to harm when they perform foundation checks or other maintenance work in an area directly beneath the coaster known as “The Compound.” The agency said workers in the area walk under the coaster tracks and across its path, putting them at risk of being hit.

OSHA initially planned to fine Universal $5,000, but lowered the amount as part of a negotiated settlement.

To resolve the hazard, Universal has agreed to install additional fencing in areas of the compound where coaster trains come within seven feet of the ground.

“We are dedicated to providing a safe working environment for our team members,” Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said.

Universal must add the fencing by Dec. 24. The resort is planning to renovate the ride soon in order to incorporate it into the “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” which is scheduled to open this spring. The coaster will be renamed “Dragon Challenge.”

Industry News

Harmonizing the two values, as in so much of the talks over NBC Universal, may take days to do, and these people cautioned that a deal may not be reached.

If it holds, the agreement would conclude weeks of hardball negotiations between G.E. and Vivendi over an alliance first forged in 2004. Resolving the issue of Vivendi’s stake is crucial to completing the G.E.-Comcast deal. But the French company took a tough stance, brandishing its option of holding an initial public offering for its stake rather than selling it back to G.E.

Under the current outlines of the agreement between G.E. and Comcast, NBC Universal would be put into a new joint venture, between the two giants. Comcast would pour billions of dollars in cash and its own cable channels for a 51 percent stake, while G.E. would hold an initial 49 percent and contribute about $12 billion in debt.

G.E., which has owned NBC for more than two decades, is expected to eventually sell its ownership interest to Comcast over the next several years.

New York Times/Bloomberg

Disney’s Toy Story Mania! was honored as one of two outstanding attractions. Judges said the ride, which is in both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s California Adventure, is “consistently innovative, excellently executed and reflects next-generation guest care on every detail.”

While praising the ride’s experience and effects, judges seemed just as impressed by its operational achievements – highlighting, for instance, a higher-than-usual throughput for a ride-through shooting game, a particularly effective practice teaching round, an adjustable lap bar/shooter mount that can accommodate guests from 40 pounds to 400 pounds, on-board closed captioning and easily accessible but well-themed emergency exits.

“It is a suite of many technical and creative innovations,” the judges wrote.

Universal’s Disaster! was honored as outstanding attraction rehab, with judges calling it a “an ingenious reworking” of the former Earthquake attraction. “It is reinvigorated through humorous and even sarcastic writing, innovative technology and creative surprises,” they said.

Judges singled out the attraction’s use of holographic-projection technology to make it appear as if Christopher Walken has appeared on stage with a live performer, the use of image-capture technology to incorporate riders into the show and finale featuring an over-the-top movie trailer starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – and the guests themselves.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

The global recession continued to squeeze Universal Orlandoduring the third quarter, as attendance, sales and profit all dropped from a year ago.

Attendance at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventuresank 11 percent during the three months that ended Sept. 27, dropping from 3 million a year ago to 2.7 million. The people who did visit the parks spent less on food, drinks and souvenirs, as per-capita guest spending dropped 2 percent.

The combination sent overall profit at Orlando’s No. 2 theme-park resort down 20.9 percent, from $47.2 million a year ago to $37.3 million. Operating profit, which strips out expenses such as debt payments, fell 14.8 percent, from $71.6 million to $61 million.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Universal said the slumping results “were primarily driven by the downturn in the global economy.”

The parent company of Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando, California and Japan said this morning that attendance at the resorts continued to struggle during the third quarter but that it was able to offset the declines with continued cost-cutting.

General Electric Co. provided few other details about its theme parks, which are a tiny piece of a sprawling industrial empire in which it builds everything from light bulbs to locomotives.

GE said overall operating profits at its NBC Universal, which includes Universal Parks & Resorts along with television and film businesses, rose 13 percent from a year ago to $732 million. Total revenues fell 20 percent to $4.1 billion.

During the April-through-June period, combined attendance at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure fell 14 percent from a year ago. Universal Orlando was nonetheless able to boost profits by 29 percent — to $27.1 million — in large part by slashing operating costs by 17 percent.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s article….please go to the Orlando Sentinel

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has an opening date, although it’s a pretty broad one: Spring 2010.

Details about the addition to Islands of Adventure were announced by Universal Orlando on Tuesday. The event confirmed several previously reported items and detailed a few others.

The major attraction will be within the Hogwarts castle and called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It was described in vague but grandiose terms.

“It couldn’t be farther from a roller coaster,” said Paul Daurio, show producer of Wizarding World.

For rest of Dewayne Bevil’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando Resort is offering students with valid college ID a specially priced $30 ticket – more than half-off the regular ticket price – to see Blue Man Group nightly performances in Orlando, Florida. After each performance, students are invited to meet the Blue Men for autographs and photos at the post-show audience meet and greet.

“College students always have a blast at Blue Man Group because our performance is a party, event, rock concert and theatre show all combined into one amazing experience,” said Christian Chenier, Resident General Manager of Blue Man Group in Orlando. “We don’t want students to miss out on Blue Man Group fun in these tighter economic times.”

Students should call the Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando Resort Box Office at 407-BLUE MAN (407-258-3626) for more information on the specially priced tickets. Two $30 tickets are available per student ID.

Blue Man Group features three enigmatic, bald, blue characters who take the audience through a multimedia sensory experience. It combines theatre, percussion, music, art, science, and humor into a unique, modern-day vaudevillian show.

Orlando’s Blue Man Group production takes place in the 1,000-seat Sharp Aquos Theatre, built especially for this spectacular performance next to Universal Studios Florida and part of Universal Orlando Resort’s CityWalk.

In addition to Orlando, Blue Man Group also performs nightly in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin, and Tokyo.

Business Wire

Image Courtesy of Universal Studios Florida

Just four days after launching a soft opening of its long-delayed but highly anticipated roller coaster, Universal Orlando on Wednesday declared Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit officially open to all guests.

The resort said it decided to formally open the $45 million Universal Studios Florida attraction after surveys of guests during the brief “technical rehearsal” turned up glowing reviews. Billed as the state’s most technologically advanced coaster, Rockit allows riders to listen to customized soundtracks as they hurtle around the track at speeds of as much as 65 mph.

“We moved to now open when we did because we listen to our guests, who are clearly enjoying this ride,” spokesman Tom Schroder said.

But the move surprised some industry experts, particularly because Universal is still ironing out kinks with its new coaster.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Universal Orlando has matched Walt Disney World’s latest price increase — sort of.

Universal has raised the price of a one-day, one-park ticket purchased at the gate to $79, a move that came less than a week after Disney World increased its base ticket to the same price.

But while Disney raised prices on all manner of ticket packages, Universal said it left all other prices the same. That includes the online price for a one-day, one-park ticket, which is $73.

“Pricing for our most popular, most value-driven tickets remains unchanged,” Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said.

Orlando Sentinel

The global recession sent attendance at Universal Orlando plummeting during the second quarter of this year, but deep cost cuts helped the resort boost its profit by nearly 30 percent.

The operating company for Orlando’s No. 2 theme-park resort, Universal City Development Partners, said Thursday that it earned $27.1 million during the three months that ended June 28, up 29 percent from $21.1 million during the same period last year.

Operating profit, which strips out expenses such as interest payments on debt, rose 15 percent to $51.4 million.

The gains came even though attendance dropped 14 percent from a year ago, sinking from 2.9 million paying visitors to 2.5 million. Sales fell 11 percent, from $242 million to $216 million.

Universal was able to offset the declines by slashing its operating costs nearly 17 percent, from $197 million to $164 million.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Universal Orlando is moving away from the horrors that have defined the experience at Halloween Horror Nights in the past to introduce a more cinematic-based terror this year.

Halloween Horror Nights will highlight three movies that give a lot of us chills in the night: Chucky, The Wolfman, and Saw. According to the Universal there will be a whole “host” of other characters and themes taken from other horror films, but no details have been release as of yet.

The event overview from the official Halloween Horror Nights website:

“The unforgettable horror movies that made you scream were hours of pulse-pounding fear broken up by moments of sheer heart-stopping terror. Bone-chilling nightmares played out onscreen. Now those terrifying scenes, incredible creatures and blood-curdling moments have now been ripped from the silver screen and brought to life at Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights 2009 is available from Sept. 25 through Oct. 31 on the following dates:

• Sept. 25-26
• Oct. 1-4
• Oct. 8-11
• Oct. 21-25
• Oct. 28-31

IT’S NEVER TOO SOON TO START PANICKING.
Sept. 25, 26, Oct. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 & 31

Once again, your worst nightmares will soon be taking shape in the shadowy darkness of one of the country’s premier annual Halloween events—Universal Orlando® Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights®.

On select nights in September and October, Universal Studios Florida® theme park is transformed into a nightmarish labyrinth of haunted houses, outrageous live shows, and electrifying scare zones while an army of mutants, monsters and maniacs roam the darkened studio streets.

Now in its 19th year, Halloween Horror Nights annually drawing hundreds of thousands of horror fans from around the globe to this one-of-a-kind event. In fact, Tony Timpone, Editor of Fangoria Magazine, said, “After visiting scream parks all across the U.S. for the last 20 years, I can easily say that Universal’s is the best in the business… Halloween Horror Nights is the ultimate Halloween experience.”

This year promises to break new ground by being the most immersive horror experience ever. Every step, every turn takes you into a new realm of fear. In the houses or on the streets, there is nowhere safe and nowhere you can hide. It’s the greatest exhibition of pure terror ever unleashed anywhere, and you can experience it all, LIVE, only at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.

According to Fearnet.com Universal said: ‘King Kong is back with a vengeance. In summer 2010, Universal Studios Hollywood will debut a fierce, new 4-D multi-sensory attraction on the newly upgraded, famous Studio Tour.

The ground-breaking attraction based on the 2005 Oscar® award-winning film, is sure to become a fan-favorite and blow park guests away with thrilling action and cutting edge technology!

The completely re-imagined King Kong attraction will invite guests to don special glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard the Studio Tour trams and will be transported via the magic of Surround Digital 3D projection deep into the dark heart of the world of Skull Island.  Guests will be involved in a showdown between two colossal predators, getting a front-row seat to all the thrills and scares that fans of King Kong have come to know and love.’

Original article at Fearnet.com

Universal Orlando lost nearly $17 million during the first three months of this year, as the two-park resort was hurt by a deep recession, unfavorable holiday timing, and expensive interest payments.

The operating company for Orlando’s No. 2 theme-park resort, Universal City Development Partners, revealed in a regulatory filing today that it lost $16.5 million during the three months that ended March 29, as attendance slumped nearly 20 percent. That was down from a $1.8 million profit during the same period a year ago.

Universal’s operating profit, which strips out one-time expenses such as interest payments, totaled $6.8 million for the quarter, down 72 percent from a year ago.

The resort’s financial performance was hurt by the timing of the Easter holiday, a busy travel period that fell in March last year but in April this year. When the resort’s results were extended through the first four months of the year — negating the impact of the Easter shift — Universal said its operating profit was down just 13 percent from a year ago.

For more information and the rest of Jason Garcia’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel.

Has the parent company of Universal Orlando sniffed around the parent company of SeaWorld Orlando?

General Electric Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Immelt won’t say outright, but he sure makes it sound like his company has at least kicked the tires at Busch Entertainment Corp., which has been rumored to be for sale in the months since Belgian beer giant InBev acquired Anheuser Busch late last year. (Universal is co-owned by GE’s NBC Universal unit and the Blackstone Group.)

For the rest of the article by Jason Garcia and Sara K. Clarke…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Image Courtesy of Universal Studios Florida

Universal Orlando is releasing details — and a new opening date — Thursday for its under-construction Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios theme park.

The attraction, announced in March 2008, now is slated to debut sometime in “summer,” a Universal official says, rather than the previously announced “spring” time frame.

“Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the most sophisticated roller coaster we’ve ever created, so we’re working to make sure it’s going to be an amazing experience for our guests,” Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said Wednesday.

“We’re going to open it when we believe it’s absolutely ready,” he said.

For the rest of Dewayne Bevil’s article…please go to the Orlando Sentinel

Florida’s major theme parks reported injuries to seven patrons in the first quarter of 2009 — six at Disney parks in Lake Buena Vista and one at Universal Orlando — a report obtained this morning showed.

The major parks conduct their own safety programs but are required to file quarterly reports of injuries with the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection.

For details and more information…please go to Ted Jackovic’s article at Tampa Bay Online

Image Courtesy of Walt Disney World

According to the Themed Entertainment Association/Economics Research Associates’ Attraction Attendance Report 2008, the Magic Kingdom is the most visited theme park in the world, with just over 17 million guests in 2008.

Top 20 Amusement Parks/Theme Parks North America

1.   MAGIC KINGDOM at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida………………………………..17,063,000

2.   DISNEYLAND, Anaheim, Calfornia………………………………………………………………………………..14,721,000

3.   EPCOT at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida…………………………………………………10,935,000

4.   DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida………..9,608,000

5.   DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida……………….9,540,000

6.   UNIVERSAL STUDIOS at Universal Orlando, Florida……………………………………………………….6,231,000

7.   SEAWORLD FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida ……………………………………………………………………….5,926,000

8.   DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, Anaheim, California……………………………………………5,566,000

9.   ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE at Universal Orlando, Florida………………………………………………..5,297,000

10. UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD, Universal City, California……………………………………..4,583,000

11.  BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY, Tampa Bay, Florida………………………………………………………4,410,000

12.  SEAWORLD CALIFORNIA, San Diego, California……………………………………………………………4,147,000

13.  KNOTT’S BERRY FARM, Buena Park, California……………………………………………………………..3,565,000

14.  CANADA’S WONDERLAND, Maple, Ontario………………………………………………………………….3,380,000

15.  CEDAR POINT, Sandusky, Ohio…………………………………………………………………………………….3,198,000

16.  KINGS ISLAND, Kings Island, Ohio……………………………………………………………………………….3,126,000

17.  BUSCH GARDENS EUROPE, Williamsburg, Virginia………………………………………………………3,094,000

18.  HERSHEY PARK, Hershey, Pennsylvania……………………………………………………………………….2,842,000

19.  SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE, Jackson, New Jersey…………………………………………………..2,761,000

20. SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA, Gurnee, Illinois……………………………………………………………….2,669,000

Top 20 Worldwide Amusement/Theme Parks (2008)

1.   MAGIC KINGDOM at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida………………………………..17,063,000

2.   DISNEYLAND, Anaheim, California……………………………………………………………………………….14,721,000

3.   TOKYO DISNEYLAND, Tokyo, Japan…………………………………………………………………………….14,293,000

4.   DISNEYLAND PARK AT DISNEYLAND PARIS, Marne-La-Vallee, France………………………..12,688,000

5.   TOKYO DISNEY SEA, Tokyo, Japan………………………………………………………………………………12,498,000

6.   EPCOT at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida…………………………………………………10,935,000

7.   DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida………..9,608,000

8.   DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida………………9,540,000

9.   UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN, Osaka, Japan…………………………………………………………………8,300,000

10.  EVERLAND, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea…………………………………………………………………………6,600,000

11.  UNIVERSAL STUDIOS at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Florida………………………………………..6,231,000

12.  SEAWORLD FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida……………………………………………………………………….5,926,000

13.  DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, Anaheim, California……………………………………………5,566,000

14.  ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Florida………………………………….5,297,000

15.  OCEAN PARK, Hong Kong SAR……………………………………………………………………………………..5,030,000

16.  UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD, Universal City, California…………………………………….4,583,000

17.  YOKOHAMA HAKKEIJIMA SEA PARADISE, Yokohama, Japan……………………………………….4,555,000

18.  HONG KONG DISNEYLAND, Hong Kong SAR……………………………………………………………….4,500,000

19.  BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY, Tampa Bay, Florida……………………………………………………..4,410,000

20. LOTTE WORLD, Seoul, Korea………………………………………………………………………………………..4,236,000

Attached this month is your invitation to attend ”Harbor Nights Primavera”, a wine tasting and jazz event designed to capture the ambiance of the Mediterranean. Featuring select wines and sparkling wines, gourmet food samples, live jazz music and complimentary, hand-rolled cigars. Harbor Nights takes place under the twinkling lights of the Harbor Piazza at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.

Enjoy Aj

 

Your Invitation:

 

 

 

The exclusive menu:

 

Crowds have descended on Orlando’s theme parks this holiday week, giving a much-needed boost to an industry that has rolled out discounts to keep visitors coming during the worst recession in decades.

Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom, the busiest of the region’s theme parks, has been so crowded at times that it had to turn away guests. Other parks have been packed as well: Disney’s Hollywood Studios was so popular Tuesday that arriving visitors were redirected to Epcot’s parking lot, then bused back to the movie-studio attraction. Disney’s two water parks reached capacity Thursday.

Lisa Farrell, at Magic Kingdom on Thursday with her husband and two daughters, noted that the children had gotten into the park for free as part of a six-day vacation package that also included some free meals.

Farrell, 43, said the discounts had made the difference between the family coming to Orlando this Easter week or staying close to home in Charleston, S.C.

Universal Studios said its attendance this week is running ahead of projections, and it has boosted its entertainment options for the park’s guests. For instance, it has temporarily brought back Fear Factor Live, a show it had closed because of lackluster demand earlier this year.

SeaWorld Orlando brought aboard an extra 1,000 workers to handle the April 4-19 crunch — the same number of seasonal staff as last year. Attendance is high at all its Florida parks, and its Discovery Cove attraction is sold out through all of spring break, SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides said. Its water park, Aquatica, reached capacity by 11:30 a.m. in three of the past six days.

Some hotels are reporting sold-out nights, and traffic is snarled on International Drive — just like the good old days.

Experts say that, even in tough times, the periods that historically generate large crowds — including the weeks leading up to Easter and the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s — generally continue to draw well.

One reason for that: Tourists historically book those highly prized weeks much further in advance, making travel during those periods less vulnerable to short-term fears.

Also helping to boost demand this year, recession or no, are the discounts offered by all three of the big theme-park resorts and many of the area’s smaller attractions.

For the rest of the story by Sara K. Clarke and Jason Garcia, please see the Orlando Sentinel.

Image courtesy of www.ginblossoms.net

 

 

 

Don’t Miss Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s April ‘Velvet Sessions’ featuring Gin Blossoms

WHAT: 
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s 2009 ‘Velvet Sessions’ series continues in April with alternative rock band Gin Blossoms performing hits “Learning The Hard Way,” “Long Time Gone,” “Til I Hear It From You,” “Follow You Down” and more.

Velvet Sessions is Hard Rock Hotel’s special rock ‘n’ roll cocktail party and lobby concert held the last Thursday of the month.

Visit VelvetSessions.com and get on the list to reserve your ticket and receive monthly updates on who’s playing.

A $25 ticket includes: free specialty drinks, finger foods and warm-up tunes from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Cash bars and live band from 8:30 p.m. onward. Parking is complimentary for those attending Velvet Sessions.

Velvet Sessions is a 21 and older event. 
 
WHEN: 
Thursday, April 30, 2009
6:30 p.m. 
 
WHERE: 
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando
5800 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, Florida 32819-7834 
 
TICKETS: 
Log onto VelvetSessions.com or call 407-503-2402

Image Courtesy of Universal Studios Orlando

Orlando’s No. 2 theme-park resort is warning that it could face a cash crunch by next spring, as turmoil in the credit markets — and an obscure clause in its long-standing contract with famed filmmaker Steven Spielberg — complicate its efforts to restructure nearly $1 billion of debt.

If Universal Orlando is unable to rework the loans in coming months, it could be forced to slash spending on new attractions, seek more money from its owners or even put a piece of the resort up for sale.

According to a recent filing with federal regulators, the companies that hold and operate the two-park resort must repay or refinance $950 million worth of loans by April 1, 2010. If the companies, led by Universal City Development Partners, are unable to meet the deadline, another half-billion-dollar loan — this one backed by virtually all of Universal Orlando’s property and equipment — would suddenly come due, as well.

Refinancing such large amounts won’t be easy. Hobbled by bad loans issued during the credit boom, lenders are now imposing far stricter terms on customers in all industries, tourism included. Six Flags Inc., for example, is considering bankruptcy because the big amusement-park chain has so far been unable to renegotiate its debt.

For the rest of Jason Garcia’s story, please go to the Orlando Sentinel

G’day, fellow adult beverage lovers, I just received this email invitation from Universal Orlando and wanted to share it with you all.

Mai Tai anyone ?

 

 

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

 

Hey John, the work week is over and it’s time to kick back in our tropical paradise and celebrate the weekend! Put on your favorite Hawaiian shirt or dress and join the party!

 

YOUR ALOHA FRIDAY TICKET INCLUDES:

A taste of the islands from Loews Royal Pacific Resort & Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, Tropical Drinks, Beer & Wine, Gourmet Coffee & a Lei Greeting

 

Plus, enjoy a live performance by Volcano Joe and the Hot Lava Band singing songs by your favorite artists including: Jimmy Buffett, The Eagles, UB40 & much more!

In the busy season, the unspoken rule for parade viewing is: if you want a good spot, stake it out early. That may sound simple, but two major etiquette issues come up. The first is, even if you’re there early, just how much space can you reasonably expect to take up? Often one or two people will grab a prime spot on Main Street at Disney World an hour beforehand, but try to hold room for their other six family members. Others come along later, see the prime real estate, and try to move in. Mayhem quickly ensues. Or maybe the other family members were there to start with, but needed a potty break or went off to get some ice cream. While they’re gone, someone else tries to move in and you’re got a confrontation on your hands.

read the rest of the story at examiner.com

Story from Barbara Nefer, Orlando Theme Parks Examiner